


Some Kind of Custody

by Samsonet



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-01
Updated: 2018-07-23
Packaged: 2019-05-31 18:42:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15125564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Samsonet/pseuds/Samsonet
Summary: Hau's dad wants to take him and leave. Hala wants them both to stay. Guzma's just looking out for the kid.





	1. The First Day

Training under the old man is different than Guzma remembered. Gone are the strict rules, the punishments, the yelling. Instead, Hala speaks softly, with less anger and more disappointment when Guzma screws up.

Maybe Hau’s a good influence.

Maybe Hala thinks Guzma can be influenced.

He’s not sure whether the old man took him in to have a free babysitter, but some days it feels like it. Like today. He’s halfway through his first malasada, Hau’s starting his second, and they’re eating near the Hau’oli docks. The kid’s friends aren’t here. Neither is anything else Guzma can see that would be interesting for an eleven-year-old. People get on boats. People get off boats. Wingull fly by.

“Why d’ya hang out here, anyway? You waitin’ for the Aether girl to come back from Kanto?”

Hau blinks, obviously flustered, then shakes his head. “No — I mean, not just her.”

“Who, then? Can’t imagine ya got a lotta people you’re waitin’ for.”

Hau frowns. It looks strange on him. “I’m waiting for my dad.”

That makes Guzma think twice. Sure, he knew Niwa -- sort of. Hala’s son had been an introverted teenager and a quiet adult, and it wasn’t much of a surprise when Hala’s anger drove him away. Guzma hadn’t thought about him much since. Better an absent father than --

Enough. “You think he’ll come back?”

“...I don’t know.” Hau’s picking at the malasada wrapper. “I… I want him to come back. Tutu says Dad loves me, so… doesn’t he want to see me?”

Oh, boy. He is not prepared to play therapist. He goes through what he knows of Niwa, what he knows of Hala, what he can and can’t get away with telling Hau about the kahuna’s family history… He shakes his head. “Ain’t always that easy.”

“Oh…”

A woman in a large hat passes by and boards a boat. A sweaty man in a suit gets off a boat and passes by, probably headed to downtown. A one-eyed man gets off a boat and heads toward the city.  
Hau and Guzma eat in silence.

At last, Guzma asks: “What would ya even do if your dad came back for ya?”

“I dunno. I just wanna do the normal things, I guess.”

“Normal things.” He snorts. “Y’know you’re not a normal kid, right? You’re Hala’s grandson. You won’t get to do normal things.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“‘M just sayin’. Errybody knows your dad up and left when you were little. And…” Another bite. He chews slowly, to have time to think. “An’ the old man was pissed ‘bout him leavin’. He might not be happy to have ‘im back.”

“That’s not true.”

Guzma shrugs. “Suit yourself.”

Hau doesn’t answer. He looks down at his malasada like if he concentrates hard enough, he won’t have to think about what Guzma just said. It doesn’t seem to work. Soon, he gets up and dumps his half-eaten malasada in the trash -- and then starts to walk briskly back toward Iki Town.

Guzma follows him quickly -- it’s a good thing his strides are twice as long as Hau’s. “Whoa, wait a sec. Where’re you going?”

“To talk to Gramps.”

And that’s all he says for the rest of the walk. Guzma doesn’t want to admit it, but it makes him anxious. Hala is the main reason he’s not in jail right now -- what will the old man do if he finds out Guzma’s bringing up old family drama?

Nothing good, probably.

When they get to Iki Town, it feels like everyone already knows how he’s screwed up this time. The neighbors stand on their porches, staring. Even the Pokemon are unnaturally quiet. Guzma tries to take a deep breath. He’s not doing so well.

They make their way to the kahuna’s house, and Hau opens the door.

Hala’s sitting on his traditionally-made armchair. On the couch to his left is Hima, Hau’s mother. And on the couch to his right --

A tall man, with his hair tied back. When he turns to face them, he shows a large scar where his left eye would be. The man has been away from Alola for at least eight years, but he’s unmistakable: Niwa. Hau’s father. Hala’s son.

“Hau?” the man asks.

“Yeah?” Hau responds. “Who are you?”

The man opens his mouth, but Hala speaks over him. “Hau, this is your father. Do not go anywhere with him.”

“Not your decision, Dad!” Niwa calls, in a singsong voice.

Hau looks between them in utter confusion. His mom doesn’t speak up; his dad and granddad seem more interested in glaring at each other than explaining. Guzma takes pity on the kid.

“YO!” He calls out, stomping to call attention to himself. He’s amazed to find everyone turning their attention to him. “Uh… No disrespect an’ all, but someone’s gotta explain why he --” he points to Niwa -- “is back after Tapu knows how long, an’ why you --” he points to Hala -- “don’ want Hau going anywhere wit’ him. Uh… if that’s okay.”

Hala and Niwa both turn to Hau’s mother. Hima nods, then turns toward Hau and speaks:

“When your father and I divorced, we decided that you would stay with me, in Alola, until you finished your trials. Then we would renegotiate the custody decision. Your father wants you to go live with him in Sinnoh. Your grandfather and I want you to stay.”

“An’ what about what Hau wants?”

Niwa nods. “I want whatever you want, Hau. If you want to stay, then I’ll go and I won’t bother you anymore. If you want to come with me…”

“I… I don’t know what I want.”

Hala hmphs. “He’s only saying that because he doesn’t want to hurt your feelings.”

“Or maybe he doesn’t want to hurt your feelings,” Niwa shoots back.

“You can’t expect him to make such an important decision with such little notice,” Hima says quietly. “He’s only twelve.”

“Damn right.”

Niwa sighs, but he’s nodding. “Alright. I’ll come back tomorrow. Can I have a hug, though?”

Hau gives him one, with all the polite awkwardness that comes with hugging someone who’s basically a stranger. Hala does not get out of his chair.

After Niwa leaves, though, Hala gestures for Hau and Guzma to sit down. Guzma takes the empty couch. Hau goes to sit on his grandfather’s lap.

“Why didn’t you tell me that he was gonna come back for me?”

A sigh. “I had hoped he wouldn’t.”


	2. The Second Day

Guzma’s never been used to a good night’s sleep. From his own house to Po Town to the guest room in Hala’s house that he shares with four other students, there’s always been something to keep him from getting as much rest as he’d like.

Today it’s the old man himself, knocking on the door. “Guzma, I need to talk to you.”

Guzma opens an eye. The sun hasn’t even full risen yet. But he knows better than to complain, so he rolls out of bed and heads to the living room.

“I apologize for waking you so early,” Hala begins. He’s never apologized for that before.

“Is this about Niwa?”

The old man is silent. Guzma snorts. “Ya want me to get rid’f him? I can do that. I’ll need --”

“I don’t want you to get rid of him.”

“Y’ dont? You sure sounded like you wanted ‘im gone yesterday.”

Hala sighs. “Quite the opposite. Nothing would make me happier than Niwa deciding to stay in Alola. Unfortunately, he seems determined to sabotage any attempts I make towards reuniting our family for good.”

“I dunno if I can help you with that, I kinda --”

“That’s not what I wanted to ask of you.” Hala waves his hand as though waving aside the idea. “My daughter-in-law has foolishly agreed that Niwa may take Hau around the island today. I firmly believe that if he has no supervision, he will force Hau to leave the region with him. I would like you to go with them to prevent this.”

Guzma blinks. “What, like a bodyguard?”

“Exactly. Thank you very much.”

***

It’s really nothing different than what Guzma had been doing before. He walks through the streets of Hau’oli, carrying a box of warm malasada while Hau slowly eats them. Only this time, Niwa walks beside them, hands in his pockets. He seems distracted, irritable. Guzma’s no stranger to resting bitch face, but seriously, is this guy even trying? Even Hau seems to be brought down by his bad moon.

None of them speak for a long time. Then Guzma takes it on himself to break the silence. “Yo, Dad-man. Weren’tcha goin’ to make today ‘special’ or somethin’?”

This gets a true Halaesque hmph. Niwa doesn’t answer, however; he merely points to an intersection up ahead. “We’re turning there.”

‘There’ turns out to lead to a park. It has a rusty swingset with only two swings, a singular bench a small distance away, and a large sandy circle that shows signs of once having a larger playground. Niwa sits on one of the swings and motions for Hau to sit on the other. (Guzma notes that the nearest seat available is the bench, and glares as he sits down.)

“So,” Niwa says, “I hear you passed your trials.”

“Yeah…”

A pause.

“...how were they?”

“Good…”

Another pause. This one is longer.

“You know, Hala used to bring me here when I was a kid.” Niwa kicks his legs to move the swing. As he’s six feet tall, though, he doesn’t exactly get off the ground. “He used to play tag with me and some of the other kids. Not really often, though, he was busy a lot back then.”

“He’s busy a lot now, too,” Hau says.

“The kahuna’s work is a struggle, huh? Especially for the kahuna’s family. I bet other kids avoided you, right? Because they were afraid of what Hala would do if they upset you.”

“...yeah… but I have friends! Lillie and Gladion, and Moon…”

“Lillie and Gladion -- the Aether kids?”

This gets a nod.

“Yeah, Mohn is pretty nice, I bet his kids are, too. I’ve never heard of Moon. Which island are they from?”

“Oh, Moon is from Kanto! She moved here and did her trials, and she even got a Sparkling Stone from Tapu Koko! It was amazing!”

Hau launches into the story of his and Moon’s trials. Guzma listens, even though he’s pretending to not be interested. His own recollection of the champion’s journey has a lot to do with the Cosmog and Lusamine and the eldritch beings she called beasts. Hau’s version is more innocent. More normal. He talks about choosing Popplio, about passing the Verdant Cavern trial and Hala’s grand trial, about Lillie, about the league…

Niwa hangs on to his every word. He says things like “Olivia was a good friend, I’m happy she gets to be a kahuna.” “Did you know I used to be a trial captain on Mount Lanakila?” “There were never many people on Poni, it’s pretty much a nature preserve.”

And then, at the end of the story, he asks: “What are you going to do now?”

“I dunno. Right now my goal is to beat Moon and become the champion, but…”

“...but you don’t know if that’s what you really want, right?”

Hau kicks at the ground and nods.

“And I bet everyone expects you to be Melemele’s next kahuna when Hala dies, right?”

Another nod.

“But you’re not Hala, and it’s not fair to expect you to be a mini-Hala.”

Niwa gets off his swing and kneels in front of Hau, putting his hands on his son’s shoulders. (Guzma glares, but since Hau doesn’t seem uncomfortable, there’s no reason to stop it.)

“Hau,” Niwa says, “Take it from someone -- the only other person in the world -- who’s gone through what you’re going through. As long as you live in Alola, you won’t be able to escape his shadow. Everyone knows you as ‘Hala’s kid’. Everything you do gets reported to him one way or another. And nobody in this region will believe that he’d hurt you. The only --”

“Hol’ up, what was that last part?”

Niwa does not turn around. “Nobody believes you when you say he hurt you.”

“What did he do to you…” Hau hesitates. “...Dad?”

“It doesn’t matter. I got away from him. The more important question is, is he doing anything to you?”

Hau doesn’t answer.

Niwa continues: “It’s okay. You don’t have to tell me. My point is, I’m here to help you escape. All you have to do is come with me.”

Hau begins to squirm. “I can’t.”

“You can’t? Or you won’t? 

“I -- I can’t leave him! I’m all he has left! I don’t want him to be alone.”

“Sometimes you have to do what’s best for you, Hau.”

“I know, but -- I -- I can’t…”

Guzma stands up, prepared to pull the other man away by force if he has to.

He doesn’t have to. Niwa stands up and backs off. He offers Hau a hand and doesn’t insist on it when Hau refuses.

“I’m sorry about that. Tell you what. Malasada are nice, but I’m in the mood for some real food. Let me take you two somewhere to eat, okay?”

***  
When they get home, Hala is waiting for them.

Hau runs into his arms; Hala picks him up and kisses his forehead. He looks toward Niwa as if to say “See, Hau loves me”.

Niwa shakes his head. “Goodnight, Hau.”

“Goodnight, Dad!”

Hala quickly turns and shuts the door behind him...

...leaving Guzma outside.

Niwa turns to leave, but Guzma stops him. “Yo.”

“Yes?”

“What did you mean when you said the old man hurt you?”

Niwa rubs his scarred-over eye. “Goodnight, Guzma.”


End file.
